.,@,,.,.

4.,'wii@^.,

CHAPTER

Writing Essays

of the skills you have already mastered in. Once you know how to write a paragraph, itwrite an essay; an essay is just longer' Simply

the formula for a five-paragraph essay.

Although many €ssays do not fit into the five-paragraph formula,

most essays follow some pattern of organization. The formula is

simply a plan to help you affange your ideas into a systematic

order. lt has a recognizable beginning, middle, and end. lf you

know how to write a typicalfive-paragraph essay, you will always

have something to fall back on.

idea. The conclusion summarizes the main points.

GtO CHAPTER4

BASIC PLAN OF A TYPICAL FIVE-PARAGRAPH ESSAY

INTRODUCTION

BODY

INTRODUCTIONBackground InformationGets reader's attention using one or more of thefollowing:

AnecdotesQuotationsQuestionsFacts and statistics

Thesis StatementStates the subject and focus of the essay

lst SUPPORTING PARAGRAPHfirst supporting pointdetails, examples, factsZnd cRApH

Topic porting pointPrs

3rd SUPPTopic Sentence: States third supporting pornt

Provides details, examples, facts

States

CONCLUSION

CONCLUSIONMakes final comments by doing one or moreof the following:

Restating main pointsAsking a questionSuggesting a solutionMaking a recommendationMaking a prediction

Read the following five-paragraph essay that a student wrote about the impact ofLatin pop music on the united states. Notice that the first line of each newparagraph is indented. After you have read the entire essay, label the parts on thelines provided.

Latin Pop Music Hits the United

continuing to grow in popularity, Latin music is not justanother fad; it is here to stay. Every revolution has its

WBITING ESSAYS €;A

1eaders,andtherecentLatininvasion,asithasbeencalled,certainlyhasafew,t""""i"t to.k.r, ,h;; il". helped to set the stage for the Latin pop explosion' Singers

ilil;GiJa Estefan, Ricky Martin, "r,JSh"kira"have

bet n particularly helpful in

bringing Latin beats to U.S. sound waves'

Gloria Estefan was one of the first Latin American altists to successfully incorporate

Latin beats and sound with Ameri."r, pof -rsic to produce hit songs across the United

States. \Vith her group' The Miami Sound

Cuban sounds into her pop-inspired music

recognition as a powerful Latin singer whos

many American music loveway for the Latin superstars elped tune the American ear to Latin

*rrri. and continue to play developing Latin pop scene'

One of the more recent Latin pop sensa

is Puerto Rico native Ricky Martin. Martin'Grammy awards made the singer one of the

Soon after his performance, Martin began g

"r "l-i"i"g L" Vid" Loca" and "Shake Your the singer

worldwid-e respect and helped to secure his music' In this

,"rp..r, Ricky Martirr r.t ih. stage for an un und that quickly

afrillslra any doubts about the future of Latin pop music all over the Americas'

The latest Latin sensation to arrive on the American pop scene is Colombian singer

Shakira. Shakira's long-awaited American debut album, IAwdrJ Service, introduced a

;^il;" combination o? Latin sounds and American pop'rock that has captivated- critics

"rrd ,..rrr.d her a spot in the American po ) scene. Shat<irat distinctive sryle and

-

unmistakable voic embraced by the U'S' public' Her.first

.*[, i'\(/h.r.rr., ss. Shakira is sure to have no problem

challenging the A

current pop trends. With Latinothers like Ricky Martin setting the

, Latin PoP will not be leaving the

successes of the later artists are any

indication, Latin pop music will continue to grow as a driving force in the American

music industry of tomorrow-

CHAPTEB 4

THE INTRODUCTIONThe introduction is the-first paragraph of your essay. It should capture the reader,sattention and create a desire to read the rest of the essay. The introduction should startwith a general discussion of your subject and lead up to a specific ,r"r.1n.rr, ofiu.main idea, or thesis.

The format of an introductory paragraph is different from the format of most other kindsof paragraphs. In introductory.p"r.gr"fhs, rhe main idea isusually stated i" in. Ltsentence. This sentence is called the thesis statement.

rhefunction of the introduction is '/*;,:il:;::ffi" i";",-l;,"".\to state the main idea of the essay in

r thesis statement.

There are no specific rules for writing an introduction, but there are several techniques.

Many introductions use one or a combination of the folrowing techniques toprovide background information and capture the reader,s attention.

o Move from general to specific

This type of introduction opens with a generar statemenr on the subjectthat establishes its importance and then-leads the.."a.. ro the morespecific thesis starement.

. I-Jse an anecdote

Another way to write an introduction is to rerate an interesting story thatwill interest the reader in the subject. Newspaper ""J,*g"rine writers

frequently use this technique to begin thei, ariicle;- - -

. LJse a quotation

A quotation is an easy way to introduce your topic. you can quote ana-uthority on your subject or use an interesting quotation from an article.,I:::t lt:-be more informal and use

" pro,o..t or favorite saying of arneno or relatlve.

. Ask a question

Asking one or more questions at the beginning of an essay is a good way toengage readers in the topic right "."y. ih.y,uln rr".rrio."ad o., in orderto find the answers to the questions.

'

o Present facts and statistics

Presenting some interesting facrs or starisrics estabrishes credibilitv.

WRITING ESSAYS GDS

Anatyzing lntroductionsReread the introduction for the Latin music essay on page.6|. Notice that the author

il;;-*,h " g.rr.."l statement about Latin pop music and then moved to a more

specific statement about it'

Read the foilowing sample introductions. Then, in small groups' identify the

techniqueortechniquesusedineachone.Rememberthatauthorsoftenuseacombination of techniques to write an introduction'

l.Karate,whichliterallymeans..theartofempty.hands,''isthemostwidely practiced of all the martial arts. It is primarily a m€ans of self-defense

rhat uses the body as a weapon for striking, ki.kittg, and blocking' Having

originated in the ancient Orient, the art of

karate is more than 1,000 years old. Itdeveloped first as a form of monastic trainingand latir became a method of self-defense'

During the seventeenth century, karate.

became highly developed as an art on the

Japanese island of Okinawa. Over the years,

this ancient art has gained much popularity,

and today karate is practiced throughout the

world. More than a method of combat, karate

emphasizes self-discipline, positive attitude,

and high moral purpose.

Technique(s):

7. One student looks at hisanswers. Another student fintakes it and tells her friends-with formulas written on it into the test room. W'hat about you? \Uould you

be tempted to cheat on an exam if you knew you wouldn't get caught?

According to a recent national survey, 40 percent of-American teenagers

would cheat under that condition. Vhat is causing this epidemic of cheating

in our schools? Most students cheat on tests because they feel pressure to get

i.rao "

good college, because they want to avoid the hours of studying they-

need in order to i.r fiigtt gr"d.r, or simply because they are not concemed

with honesty.

Technique(s):

CHAPTER 4

3. Homicides cause the deaths of more children in \uashington, D.c., thanany other single type of injury including car accidents, housJ fires, ordrowning. Unfortunately, this phenomenon is not exclusive to \Uashington.The overcrowded neighborhoods of many big American cities, such asDetroit, Dallas, St. Louis, Atlanta, and Miami, are all plagued with senselessviolent crime. Types of violent crime range from

".ro., "rri burglary to

assault, rape, and murder. The solution to this growing problem'is nor tobuild more and bigger prisons, but rather to eximine ind deal with thecauses: easy access to guns, drug use, and overwhelming poverty.

Technique(s):

4. Misty, a five-month-old German shepherd p,rppy, goes ro the hospitaltwice a week, but not to see a veterinarian. At ihir-V.t.r".r's Administrationhospital, Misty is helping 6les161s-not the other way

"rourrd. In what;";

seem like a role reversal, animals like Misty are visiting the halls of humanillness to relieve

? _tyq. of pain doctors cannot ove,both giving it and helping others rerurn it to t dogsto tropical fish are showing up as therapists in s,prisons, and other institutions.Source: Cobbbsone

Technique(s):

5. It is often said that ,,Two head

:il."1the bu

employment arrangements, like job'sharing, is growing. Employers arebeginning to realize that there

"i. , "rry ,"i.rr,Jd peop"le out there who

are looking for altematives to traditional pr,,.-, o? J-ploy-.rrt. I., ,eople. As anone way thatneeds. Not

, it also offers several advantages

completed more quicklv, a wider r".*" offi it::: ;?:ti',"i. ll3i"o,and most importantly, production is increased

Technique(s):

Thesis StatementsThe thesis statement tells the reader what the essay will be about and what points you

will be making in your essay. Your thesis statement should state the subject of the essay,

"*pl"* ,t. pJin, of view the essay will take, or describe the ideas about your topic that

you determined in your outline.

After you have presented some general background information, you need-to nalrow

yorl fo.,rr. fnis is done in the thesis statement. A thesis statement is similar to a topic

,.rr,.rr... Just as a topic sentence controls the information for a paragraph, a thesis

statement controls the information for an entire essay.

-.,ldentlfles the subiect of the essay'

A sood thesis statement,-::r** ;::H: n":1'

-t

Analyzing Thesis Statements

A. Underline the thesis statement in "Latin Pop Music Hits the United States" on page

61 and answer the following questions.

1. Does the thesis statement identifi' the subject of the essay?

Z. Does it introduce the aspects of the subject that the essay develops? What are

they?

Now look back at the sample introductions on pages 64 and 65 and underline the

thesis statement in each one. Write the five thesis statements on the lines below

1.

7.

3.

4.

5.

Look through several newspapers and magazines for interesting articles. Cut out

three examples of introduction paragraphs and bring them to class. In small groups,

discuss what makes each paragraph effective or ineffective as an introduction.What techniques did the writers use?

G'IEi CHAPTER 4

THE SUppORTtNG PAR/AGR/APHS (THE BODY_)The body of an essay consists of several supporting paragraphs that support the thesis.Each supporting paragraph develops orre poirrt

"bJ.,t thE ,.rbi..t. Each paragraph beginswith a topic sentence that is supported;rh,;;il';;,"1#.ts, and examples.

Each main idea that you wrote down in your ou'ine will become one of the

:J,::"j,X.lilslio_ll, tf you had three or four supportins ideas, you wi[ havethree or four supporting paragraphs.

Analyzing Supporting paragraphs

Look again at the essay "Latin pop Music Hits the United states,, on pages 61 and

1. \Urite the thesis statement here.

Z. \Uhat is the topic of the first supporting paragraph?

3. rThat is the topic sentence of that paragraph? !'hat is its main idea?

4' Does it develop the first point mentioned in the thesis statemenrl

5. !7hat specific details are used for support?

What is the topic of the second paragraph?

7 ' Does the topic senrence of that paragraph state its main idea?

8. What is the second point mentioned in the thesis statement?

9. What specific details support it?

WRITING ESSAYS 1E'7

10. \Uhat is the topic of the third supporting paragraph?

11. Does the topic sentence of that paragraph state its main idea?

12. What is the third point mentioned in the thesis statement?

iln There are no specific rules for writing a conclusion, but there are several

t fp techniques you can use. Many conclusions use one or a combination of the

following techniques to wrap up the essay.

13. What specific details support it?

THE CONCLUSION

The final paragraph of your essay is the conclusion. It is the last thing your readers willsee, so you want to make it interesting.

The purpose of this last paragraph is to summarize, without using the same_ words, the

mainpoints you have -"d. in yo.rt .tr"y. Your concluding paragraph should also leave

yo.rr reade, agreeing, disagreeing, or at least thinking about your thesis. There are

several ways you can accomplish this.

Restate your main points

When you use this method of finishing your essay, you restate the mainpoints you presented in your essay. Make sure that you do not repeat your

exact words. 'I'iry to figure out a new \Iiay to say them-

Ask a question

When you ask a provocative question, it will keep the readers thinkingabout the topic.

Suggest a solution; make a recommendation or prediction

Depending on the topic of your essay, the conclusion might be a good place

for you to suggest a solution to a problem that you have discussed, or tomake a recommendation or a prediction.

€i€} CHAPTER 4

Anallrzing Gonclusions

A' Read the following sample conclusions. In small groups, identify the technique ortechniques used in each one.

1. no longer with us, his music is still very mtrcho 2 remarkable individual who spoke in ala elate to. During the turbule.rt ig6os rrrdlove, and happiness emerged.recall the themes of his songs and look

o come, I predict that Lennon's messagegenerations.

Technique(s):

z. In conclusion, although sleep research is a reratively new field, it is aago, only a handful of sleepare more than sevenw-five.ck the mysteries of what

sher in life's feast.', Still, there arenumerous chapters to be added to the bedtime ,tory. Ar,J tiren problemsleepers will be able to rest easy.Source: Yor HealtJr and Ficness.

Technique(s):

3. _ During his life, peter gained a great dealinfluence on the course ofRussianiristory. In noralways completely successful, he worked vervwestemize Russia. Although his actPeter did was in the best interest ofhad made significant progress rowRussia. Therefore, in my opinion,

Technique(s):

4' Technological imprwemelts by car manufacturers continue at a healthypace, and it is no coincidence that ioday,s g".r.."rio., oi."r, is the safest ever.crash tests demo^nstrate,y,ha,t many of tod"i', .il;; ,.p ratings for safery.However, real-life use will always demonstrate what',ue ,ir."dy know: thatcars are only as safe as the people driving them.

Gchnique(s):

WFITING EqSAYS Gtg

5.

Technique(s):

6. As I have shown, low-income senior citizens make up approximately

30 percent of the elderly population. These peopleare _among the most

vulnerable members of sotiety because they depend so heavily on

govemmenr programs for food, shelter, and medical needs. They are the ones

ivho will ,.rff.. ,iort severely if the govemment cuts back on its social

programs.

Technique(s):

B. Look through several newspapers and magazines for interesting articles. Cut out

three examples of concluding paragraphs and bring them to class. In small groups'

discuss what makes each paragraph effective or ineffective as a conclusion. What

techniques did the writers use?

Practicing the Writing Process for an Essay

You are going to write a five-paragraph essay about the pressures of being a student. You

can decide who your audience is going to be.

Step 1: Prewriting

Remember that the hardest parr of writing is often getting sarrcd. To generate some

ideas, try brainstonning, chstenng, freeuniting, or l<eeping a jomwl about the subject: the

pr.rr.rr.i of being a sident. Then look over what you have written and decide on a

ioc,r, fot yo.tt .tt"y. For example, are you going to discuss the pressures of being a

student in a foreign country oi in yo.tt native country? Are you golng to talkabout the

pressures of being a high school student, college student, and/or graduate student? Are

you going to talk about economic, academic, social, or emotional pressures?

7(O CHAPTER 4

It is sometimes difficult to decide which supporting points to use in your essay. Evenafter you have done some-prewriting, you may stilfneed to do -o." ihi.rking andplanning to find a focus if your subject is broad. However, there are a number ofcommon ways to divide a generalsubject into three parts that you can use for thesupporting paragraphs- For example, if your general zubject is tlrc effects of computcrs,there are several possible *ays yo, .o,rld diu"ide it. you mighi think about time anddescribe the effects of computers in the past, present, and lrrtrrr.. or you might considerpeople and write about the effects on children, ad,rlts, *d th. elderly. Still another waywould be to analyze the economic, educational, and social effects or.o1nf"i.., o'society.

The following chart provides additional suggestions for how to divide a broad subject.

a. localb. nationalc. international

a. homeb. workc. school

a. landb. sea

c. air

a. studentsb. workersc. retired people

a. familyb. friendsc. co-workers

a. childrenb. adultsc. the elderly

a- pastb. presentc. future

a. childhoodb. adulthoodc. old age

a. economicb. politicalc. sociafleducationafreligious

a. businessb. sciencec. the afts

A- For each of the following essay topics, think of three main points that you could

develop into an essay. You may use ideas from the chaft on page 71 or come up

with ideas of Your own.

Example:

Topic: The Effects of Pollution

Main Points: I anA

1. Topic: The Benefits of Leaming English

Main Points: a.

Topic: The Impact of an Earthquake

Main Points: a.

3. Topic The Role of the Media in Our Lives

Main Points:

4. Topic: The Changing Role of 'lVomen

Main Points: a.

b.

c.

5. Topic The Causes of Illiteracy

Main Points: a.

b.

c.

On a separate piece of paper, make a simple outline of the ideas you generated

from prewriting about the pressures of being a student to help you organize your

thoughts as you plan your essay. Use your outline as a guide, and refer to it whileyou are composing.

Ar

a.

b.

c.

b.

c.

b.

a.

b.

c.

72, CHAPTER 4

Step 2:WritingAfter you have spent some time thinking about your topic and doing the necessary

Bl"_Tt:-1l_e' I:1l,1: ..,"dy.for the next step in the writing process: writing your essay.

Degrn wlth the ntroduction.

Write an lntroduction

on a separate piece of paper, write the introduction for a five-paragraph essay onthe pressures of being a student. Follow these steps:

1' Decide what technique or techniques you want to use to introduce youryblea' \rould an anecdote be effecti.'.t wh"i

"Lo,r, a quotation or some

tacts and statistics?

\il7rite a thesis statement.

!7ork with a partner. Read and discuss each other's introductions.

Write the Supporting paragraphs

a' Look at your outline. write a topic sentence for each supporting paragraph on thelines below.

Topic sentence for first supporting paragraph:

Topic sentence for second supporting paragraph:

Z.

3.

Topic sentence for third supporting paragraph:

B. on a separate piece of paper; write a first draft of the supporting paragraphs foryour esschapter llow t n

for each toPicwith

Writing a Conclusion

TransiUon Signals That Introduce a Summary or ConcluslonNote: These signals should be followed by a comma.

consequentlyfinallyin briefin conclusion

in shortin summarylast of alltherefore

thusto concludeto summarize

Reread the introduction and supporting paragraphs you wrote on fhe pressures ofbeing a student. on a separate piece of paper, write the concrusion to this essay.

READYTO WRITE

Putting Together the First Draft

On a separate piece of paper, put together the first draft of your entire essay on the

pressures of being a student.Include the introduction, three supporting paragraphs,

and the conclusion. Give your essay a title that gives readers a good idea of what

the essay is about. Save your paper. Your next step will be to revise it'

Steo 3: Revise and Edit Your EssaY

Remember, writing is a process that involves revising. After you have written the first

draft of you, ".r"y,

yo,., need to revise it. It is often helpful to put your draft away.for at

l."st a day before you begin to revise it. The first thing you need to do is reread the

whole essay. Keep in mind that your essay is a group of related paragraphs about one

main idea. It should have an introduction that gets the reader's attention and states the

main idea in a thesis statement. It should also have several suppofting paragraphs, each

with a ropic sentence that supports the main idea, and a conclusion that ties the whole

essay together As you read the draft, make sure that you have included all three parts of

an essay.

You also need to make sure that your essay is well organized. Ask yourself if the ideas

follow a logical sequence from paragraph to paragraph. If the order is confusing, move

the paragraphs around so that your main points are organized logically; for example, intime order, spatial order, or order of importance.

In addition, you need to pay atrention to individual sentences within paragraphs.

Remember that each paragraph rnust develop one main supporting point stated in the

topic sentence. If a sentence in a paragraph does not support the main idea of the

paiagraph, you should delete it, rewrite it, or move it to another paragraph in the essay.

Check that you have nor left out any important points or relevant information thatwould help support your topic or prove your thesis. If so, you need to add a sentence or

paragraph to improve your essay.

Finally, edit to check the grammar, punctuation, and spellinB, and correct any mistakes

you find.

Practicing Revision

A Reread the draft of the essay you wrote on the pressures of being a student.

Answer the following questions.

1. \7hat is the subject ofyour essay?

Z. \7hat is the purpose of this essay?

3. Who is vour audience?

74. CHAPTER 4

B- Revise your essay by answering each of the foilowing questions.

Revising Checklist for Essavs

Does the title of the essay give readers agood idea of what the essay is about?

Does the introduction create interest in thetopic for readers?

Does the introduction state the main ideaand the focus of the essay in a clear thesisstatement?

Does the first (second, third) supportingparagraph have a topic sentenc. ihat cl-earlysrares rhe first (secon l, third) mainsupporting point?

Does every sentence in that paragraphsupport the topic sentence?

Have irrelevant sentences been eliminatedso that the paragraph has a single focus?

Are the sentences in the paragraph arrangedin a logical order?

8. Are there transitions in the paragraph toguide the reader from one idia to the next?

9. Do the supporting equaresupport and enoug todevelop and prove !

10. Are the su_pporting paragaphs arranged in alogical order?

11. Does the conclusion summarize the mainideas of the essay?

1.

3.

4.

yes not yet

-

yes not yet

yes not yet

_yes _not yet

_yes not yet

5.

7.not yet

not yet

_yes _not yet

-yes

not yet

_yes _not yet

-Yes

not Vet

If the answer to any of the questions is "not yet," go back and try to improveyour essay.

WRITING ESSAYS

C. Peer Revising. Sometimes it is helpfulto have someone else read your paper and

offer suggestions on ways to improve it. Exchange drafts with a classmate and read

each other's essay. Use the following worksheet as a guide for suggesting

improvements in your partner's essay.

Writer: Peer Editor:

1. \ilhat are the strengths of the essay?

Z. What did you like best about it?

3. \[hat weaknesses did vou notice?

4. 'What suggestions for improvement can you offer?

Incorporate any suggestions your partner has made that you agree with.

O. Use the checklist on page 75 to edit your essay. Conect allthe gramma6

punctuation, capitalization, and spelling erors before you copy it over or type it-

On Your Own

Choose one of the other topics on page 72 and write a five-paragraph essay.

Be sure that your essay includes an introduction, a body, and a conclusion.

716 CHAPTER 4

Crossword puzzle

5.

8.

4.

6.

7.

8.

10.

12.

ACROSS

2. One way to get your reader,s attention isto ask aParagraphs of an essay that developand support the thesisA short, interesting, or amusing storyabout a percon or an eventTo describe something that will happenin the futureStates the main idea of the essay and isoften the last sentence in theintroductionParagraph of an essay that captures thereader's interest and states the thesisOne technique authors use in theirconclusion is to make a

about the future.

DOWN

1. The name of an essay is the

2.A is sometimes usedat the beginning of an introductoryparagraph.

3. A group of sentences about one maintopic

4. An introduction givesinformation to capture the reader"sattention.Paragraph of an essay that summarizesthe main pointsSentence in a paragraph that states themain idea

9. Presenting facts andabout a subject helps establishcredibitity.

11. Another word for subiect is

A group of paragraphs about onesubjectYour first attempt at writing on a topic

13. To give advice or suggest16. To restate the main points, using new

words17. Transition words and phrases add 14.

essay.to a paragraph and

15.

WRMNG ESSAYS 77